Youth Leadership Honor

Missionary & Community Activities

Requirements

  1. Get directly involved in one of the following departments of the Church for at least 1 year, in a leadership or associate position:
    • Youth Ministry (Youth, Music, Sound Engineering, participation in one of the church's musical groups, or leading/being an associate of your church's Praise Ministry)
    • Children's or Adolescent Ministry (coordination or one of the teachers of the Sabbath School classes)
    • Pathfinder Club (secretary, treasurer, instructor, or chaplain)
    • Secretariat of some other church department (Personal Ministries, Women's Ministry, Social Assistance)
    • Lead or be an associate of the ministries: Coordination of Interested Persons, Reception, or Intercessory Prayer.
    • Make a report of your activity and obtain a letter of recommendation from the director of the department in which you served (or from the Church Board, in case you were the director).

    Answer: Serve 1 year in a leadership/associate position: Youth Ministry, Children's Ministry, Pathfinder Club, Personal Ministry, Reception, or Prayer. Present a report of activities and a letter of recommendation from the director. The commitment ensures real practice for the Pathfinder in leadership. — The Honor forms Adventist leaders. A 1-year commitment ensures real practice, not theory. Typical positions: club secretary (recording attendance), treasurer (membership fees), instructor (teaches Honors), chaplain (devotions). In church ministries: music (choirs), reception (welcoming visitors), Personal Ministry (visitation). The report documents attendance, projects, difficulties, and growth. The letter of recommendation is the director's evaluation — reliability, punctuality, initiative, and Christian spirit demonstrated by the Pathfinder.

  2. Read a book on adolescent development and another on leadership. Present a critical summary of the book and a complete bibliography.

    Answer: Choose a book on adolescent development (e.g.: 'Adolescência' by Outeiral) and another on leadership ('Christian Leadership' by John Maxwell). Read them and prepare a critical summary of each: central idea, strengths, weaknesses, practical applications to the Youth Ministry. Present a complete bibliography in ABNT format (author, title, edition, publisher, year). Connect it to the work with juniors in the club. — Critical reading shapes the future leader. Suggestions: 'The Adolescent' (Aberastury), 'Leadership 360°' (Maxwell), 'Emotional Intelligence' (Goleman), 'Education' (Ellen White). The summary should go beyond copying: evaluate strengths and weaknesses, compare with the club experience, propose application. ABNT bibliography: SURNAME, Name. Title: subtitle. Edition. City: Publisher, year. E.g.: WHITE, Ellen G. Education. 6th ed. Tatuí: CPB, 2007. Presentation: 2-3 pages for each book analyzed.

  3. Prepare a group of Pathfinders for investiture during the current year, acting as an active instructor or associate instructor of one of the Regular Classes, with at least 1 Pathfinder from this group being invested. Help in the planning and execution of the investiture ceremony.

    Answer: Act as an instructor or associate of a Regular Class (Friend, Companion, Explorer, Pioneer, Excursionist, Guide) during the year. Teach the requirements, follow up on the evaluation, ensure that at least 1 Pathfinder completes all the items. Help in the planning and execution of the investiture ceremony, including the sequence, speeches, insignia, and the club's final prayer. — The Regular Classes are the Pathfinder curriculum: Friend (10 years old), Companion (11), Explorer (12), Pioneer (13), Excursionist (14), Guide (15). Each class has 30+ requirements: biblical, devotional, physical, vocational. Investiture is a formal annual or semiannual ceremony, with parents invited. The instructor plans: a list of those who completed the requirements, a rehearsal of the protocol, the distribution of insignia. This work prepares the Pathfinder-leader to coordinate future larger classes and the evaluation team in the club.

  4. In a discussion with your leader, with the leadership group, or in a study for the leadership cards, present at least 10 qualities of a good leader of juniors.

    Answer: 1) Active spiritual life and a Christian example. 2) Good communication (knowing how to listen and express oneself). 3) Empathy with the juniors. 4) Punctuality and responsibility. 5) Organization and planning. 6) Patience. 7) Justice and impartiality. 8) Initiative and proactivity. 9) Spirit of service (serving before commanding). 10) Humility to learn and correct oneself. 11) Knowledge of the methods and of the juvenile phase. 12) Contagious enthusiasm and joy. 13) Physical health and willingness to keep up with the pace of young people. — Leading juniors requires integral formation. Spirituality: daily prayer, a Christian example. Communication: clarity in speaking and listening. Empathy: understanding 10-15 year-olds, a phase of changes. Organization: schedule, delegation. Patience: errors are opportunities. Impartiality: no favoritism. Creativity: dynamic programs. Servant leadership (Greenleaf, 1970, with a biblical basis in Matthew 20:25-28). Humility: listening to Pathfinders and parents. Physical health: keeping up with hikes, sports. Strategic vision: planning 1-3 years ahead.

  5. Present a descriptive report, highlighting the differences between juniors (10-12 years old) and adolescents (13-15 years old) in the physical, emotional, and mental areas. Present your considerations about your research at a Youth Service or Parents' Meeting.

    Answer: Physical: juniors are pre-puberty; adolescents are in puberty with abrupt changes. Emotional: juniors are dependent; adolescents seek autonomy. Mental: juniors have concrete thinking; adolescents have abstract (Piaget) and critical thinking. Present to the club community in a service. — Studies by Piaget and Erikson underpin the distinction. Physical: 10-12 years old = pre-growth-spurt; 13-15 = full puberty (girls 10-14, boys 12-16). Emotional: 10-12 still obedience to parents; 13-15 identity conflict vs. confusion (Erikson). Mental: 10-12 concrete operations (Piaget); 13-15 formal operations (abstraction, hypothesis). Leadership adapts the activities: juniors like games; adolescents prefer complex challenges. Presentation at a youth service broadens the community's awareness.

  6. Know the principles for properly administering discipline to juniors. Learn the following areas of discipline:
    • internal discipline
    • external discipline
    • 10 ways to prevent the need for external discipline
    • 5 types of disciplinary procedures
    • Cite your research source and create a set of rules using your perspective on the subject for your Pathfinder Club and present it to the Club's board for consideration and, if possible, use in the Club's activities.

    Answer: 1) Internal discipline: it is the self-control and self-discipline that come from within the junior himself. It arises from values, conscience, and character, making the person act rightly out of conviction, even with no one watching. It is the main objective to be developed. 2) External discipline: it is the discipline imposed from outside, by means of rules, limits, and corrections applied by the leaders. It serves to guide and correct behavior while the internal self-control is still being formed. 3) Ten ways to prevent the need for external discipline: (a) maintain a clear and predictable routine; (b) have a well-planned activity program, without idle time; (c) provide good supervision and constant presence of the leaders; (d) be an example (model) of good behavior; (e) make expectations and rules clear from the start; (f) build a bond and good relationship with the juniors; (g) offer interesting and challenging activities; (h) provide breaks and rest to avoid fatigue and distraction; (i) use positive reinforcement, praising good behavior; (j) maintain open dialogue, listening and talking to them. 4) Five types of disciplinary procedures (in progressive order): (a) a private talk/guidance; (b) a verbal warning; (c) a written warning; (d) a temporary suspension of some activity or privilege; (e) exclusion (removal) as a last resort, when the other measures have not worked. 5) Research source and set of rules: one can research in the Pathfinder Club Administrative Manual and in the materials of the South American Division (SAD) Youth Ministry, as well as books by Ellen G. White such as "Education" and "Child Guidance", which deal with discipline based on love and firmness. Based on these sources, a set of simple, clear, and fair rules is put together for the club (for example: respecting leaders and peers, wearing the uniform correctly, being punctual, taking care of the material and the environment, and the consequences of each offense), which should be presented to the club directorate for review and, if approved, applied in the activities. — Discipline is different from punishment. Internal (moral autonomy, Kohlberg): a mature citizen. External: necessary when the internal one fails. Prevention: proper planning avoids 80% of problems. Progressive procedures: 1) a private talk, 2) a public verbal warning, 3) a written warning to the family, 4) a suspension of 1-2 meetings, 5) exclusion (last resort). Always with a witness. 'Education' (Ellen White) and 'How to Raise Children' are cited as sources. A set of written rules is presented to the Club directorate for standardization.

  7. Based on the laws of your country and the guidelines of the SAD Youth Ministry, present a brief report on each of the requirements below:
    • Know the legal implications of leading juveniles and adolescents to events and/or meetings without the company of their parents.
    • Know the precautions to be taken, such as, for example, the need for parental authorization.
    • What precautions should be taken to avoid situations that could be misinterpreted by others? For example, never being alone in an enclosed environment with a juvenile, harassment, etc.
    • Find out what your country's current legislation addresses regarding special care for juveniles and adolescents.
    • Cite a research source.

    Answer: 1) Taking juniors and teenagers to events or meetings without the company of their parents creates legal responsibility for the minor throughout the entire journey and the event. The Statute of the Child and Adolescent (ECA - Law 8,069/90) considers the leader as the temporary guardian; any harm, accident, or negligence can lead to civil and criminal liability for the leader and the club leadership. For this reason, minors should only be transported with the backing of the club leadership and the church. 2) The essential precautions are: obtain written and signed authorization from the parents or legal guardians for each activity (with the minor's details, date, location, activity, and emergency contacts); carry the minor's documentation; check health conditions and restrictions; and have a sufficient number of responsible leaders. Without the parents' authorization the minor should not participate. 3) To avoid misinterpreted situations: never be alone in a closed environment with a junior; apply the two-adult rule (always two leaders present); keep doors open and environments visible; never have inappropriate physical contact; never transport a single minor alone in the car; avoid private messages; and document the activities. Any suspicion of harassment or abuse must be reported immediately to the leadership and the authorities. 4) Brazilian legislation (ECA - Law 8,069/90) establishes the full protection of the child and the adolescent, the absolute priority of their rights, and provides for special care regarding transport (use of a seatbelt, without overcrowding), prohibition of exposure to risk, the duty of care of the guardians, and the obligation to report abuse to the Guardianship Council. In transport and in activities the leader must ensure the safety and integrity of the minor. 5) Research sources: the Statute of the Child and Adolescent (Law 8,069/90); the Risk Management Manual of the Youth Ministry of the South American Division (SAD) Pathfinders; and guidance from the Youth Department of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. — The ECA establishes the rights and full protection of minors. Authorization: parents must sign a form with the event's details, an emergency contact, and medical restrictions. The two-adult rule (Two-deep leadership, Boy Scouts/SAD): never one adult alone with a minor. In transport, a seatbelt and the vehicle registration document. Reporting of abuse: the Guardianship Council (192/100). Official manuals: the 'Guide for Pathfinder Club Directors' (SAD), the church's Anti-Abuse Policy. Periodic training for all instructors.

  8. Research in the writings of the Spirit of Prophecy at least 10 quotations regarding discipline, education, growth, etc., of the groups of juniors and adolescents that are part of our Club.

    Answer: Search in the works of Ellen White (Education, Counsels, Mind Character and Personality) for passages about spiritual formation, loving discipline, parents, nature, and useful work. Present 10 quotations with a reference (book, page) and a brief application to the work with juniors in the actual Club. — Ellen White wrote extensively about Christian education. Key works: Education (1903), Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students (1913), Counsels on Education (1968), Mind, Character, and Personality (1977), Christian Education (1893). Sites: egwwritings.org, the CPB (Brazil Publishing House) site. Typical quotations: 'The young need to be taught that they must master their passions' (CSM 145), 'The true object of education...' (Education 13). Each quotation is accompanied by a concrete application in the club: how to apply it in a program, an activity, a devotional, or a chapter.